Roof scuttle



E. C. HALLOCK ROOF SCUTTLE Filed Feb. 12; 1953 Oct. 20, 1959 62 6l y @Il HIS ATTORNEYS,

The lower edge portion 25 of the flashing is offset outwardly in spaced relation to the insulating board to form a drip shield which will direct water away from the bottom edge of the insulating layer 20. The lower edge 25 of the flashing can also overlap and protect the upturned edge of the roof covering or roof flashing R to provide a weathertight seal therebetween.

The door likewise comprises an insulated sheet metal structure. As shown `in Fig. 2, the door consists of an outer metal sheet 30 and an inner metal sheet 31 of generally square shape. The outer sheet 30 is provided with edge flanges 32 which extend at substantially right angles to the plane of the sheet 30. The inner sheet 31 also is provided with edge flanges 33 around its periphery which lit tightly within the flanges 32 and are secured thereto by means of an overturned or rolled lip 34 on the outer flange 32. The overturned lip 34 may be rolled or turned over by means of a conventional rolling or bead forming device.

The flanges 32 and 33 on the sheets 30 and 31 are of such difference in height that a space is left between the sheets 30 and 31 to receive a sheet of insulating board 3S, or the like, which serves to prevent the passage of heat through the roof and acts as a stiffening and sound deadening element in the door. The door 10 may be formed of relatively light gauge metal, such as sheet steel or sheet aluminum and, therefore, in its completed form, it is of light weight and of very substantial stiffness capable of supporting easily the weight of an adult.

The door 10 is supported on the curb 11 preferably by means of counterbalancing hinges 36 and 36a adjacent one edge of the door, which facilitate the opening of the door. vThe hinges 36 and 36a are alike and only one of them will be described. The hinge 36, as shown in Fig. 2, includes an inverted T-shaped member having an upright 37 and a crossbar 38; The upper end of the upright 37 may be provided with a flange 39 which is bolted or otherwise secured to a channel member 40 which is welded to the inner surface of the sheet30 and spans the space between the sheets 30 and 31. 'I'he chan nel 40 may extend the entire length of the door to act as a stiffener.

One end 38a of the crossbar 38 is secured pivotally between spaced flanges 41 and 42 of a bracket 43 which is welded to the inside of the wall 15.0f the curb 11. By securing the door in this manner, so that its effective hinge point is offset from the edge of the door, the entire door can swing away from the upper edge of the curb into a substantially perpendicular position in which the crossbar 38 rests against the bead 18 on the wall 16.

The opposite end 3Sb of the crossbar 38 has lateral extensions 45 and 45a thereon which are engaged by the ends of tension springs 46 and 47 on opposite sides of the crossbar. The outer ends of the springs 46 and 47 are connected to the flanges 41 and 42 at a point spaced above the point of pivotal support of the end 38a of the crossbar. In this way, when the door is closed, the springs 46 and 47 are stretched to place them under tension tending to lift the door 10 and urge it to an open position. The door may be latched in an open position by means of a catch 48 pivoted on the flange 42. The catch 43 has a notch 48a in its lower edge to engage a pin 49 on the crossbar 38 to prevent the door from falling or being blown down by the wind.

A weathertight seal may be effected between the door 10 and a curb 11 by providing the door with draft stop 50 formed of rubber or similar material, The draft stop 50 may consist of a strip of rubbery material which extends around the innerV periphery of the door closely adjacent to the flange 33 on the inner sheet of metal 31. The overturned lip 34 aids in retaining the outer edge of the draft stop in position. The inner edge of the draft stop 50 is secured in position by means of a retaining strip 51 of ygenerally Z-shaped cross section which extends around the inner surface of the door in spaced relation to the flange 33 and overlies the inner edge of the draft stop. The draft stop may also be cemented to the inner sheet 31. The draft stop is so positioned that when the door is closed, it engages the upper edge portion of the bead 18 around the curb and is indented thereby to produce a weathertight seal between the door and the curb.

To facilitate closing the door 10, it may be provided with a conventional handle member 52. The inner sheet 31 may be stiffened and supported at the zone of the handle by means of a channel member 53. Also, the door 10 may be provided with a bolt type latch S4 also bolted to the channel member 53. The latch 54 is of the conventional spring urged bolt type and the bolt 55 thereof may be provided with an actuating chain 56 for withdrawing it to release the door. The cooperating catch consists of a notch 57 in the bead 18 on the wall 14 of the curb which has an upper end portion 58 and which overlies the nose of the bolt 55 when the door is closed. The bolt 55 may be released by means of a push rod 5S which extends through the flashing 21 and the wall 14 and has a button 59 on its inner end engaging a bar 60 fixed to the bolt. The push rod is biased outwardly by means of a spring 61 interposed between the wall 14 and a head 62 on the push rod. If desired, the bolt 55 and the push rod 58 may be provided with means to receive padlocks P to secure the catch against release.

The roof scuttle described above provides a weathertight construction because the lateral flanges on the door 10 telescopically receive the upper edges of the curb and overlie them. Moreover, the draft stop 50 engages the beaded edge 18 of the curb and effects a seal therewith. In this way any water dripping from the edges of the door 10, even if blown by a high wind, is diverted downwardly around the flashing 21 and drips onto the roof or other building structure and cannot enter between the door and the curb.

Inasmuch as` the curb and the door are formed of relatively thin metal and stiffened by the presence of channel members and the insulating board, the scuttle structure is lightweight while at the same time sturdy and highly resistant to. the elements. Moreover, the outer surface of the door is imperforate and is free from cracks or crevices in which water can collect. In this way corrosion isreduced to a minimum and leakage. cannot occur.

It will be understood that the scuttle may be varied in size and shape and that the materials used therein may be altered in accordance with requirements and to conform to the building structure. Therefore, the form of the invention described herein should be considered as illustrative and not as limiting the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A scuttle door for cooperation with generally polygonal curb positioned around an access Opening in a roof, comprising inner and outer metal sheets having flanges projecting downwardly around their peripheries and in interlocked engagement to `form a peripheral lip engageable around the outside of said curb in telescopic relation theretoa gasket extending around the door inside said lip to engage said upper edge of said curb and effect a seal therewith an inverted T-shaped member having an upright and a crossbar, said upright having one end connected rigidly to said inner sheet inwardly of the edges thereof and extending downwardly therefrom, a bracket to be secured to said curb, pivot means for connecting one end of said crossbar to said bracket, and a spring connected to the other end of said crossbar and to Said bracket above said pivot means to normally urge said door to open position.

2. A scuttle door for cooperation with a curb positioned around van access opening in a building structure, comprising an inner -metal sheet having a peripheral flange extend-ing substantially perpendicular to said sheet, an outer imperforate metalgsheet parallel with the inner metal sheet and having a peripheral flange extending in the same direction as said flange on said inner sheet and in telescopic relation to the peripheral flange on the inner sheet, said ange on said outer sheet having an outer edge portion bent around the outer edge of fthe ange on latter sheet Ito secure the sheets together, said bent-over portion having its edge spaced from said inner sheet, a iayer off heat-insulating material between said sheets, reinforcing means interposed between said sheets, hinge means for connecting said door to said curb for movement toward and away from said curb and joined to said inner sheet and said reinforcing means, a gasket extending around the inner side of said door and inwardly of and in peripheral engagement with said anges, and a retaining strip secured to said inner sheet and spaced from said anges `on the inner side of said door and engaging the gasket, -said gasket engaging between said inner sheet and said edge of said bent-over outer edge portion and retained by said strip and said edge against said inner sheet for engagement with said curb to effect a seal therewith.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

